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Broadway lobbies Albany for tax breaks like Hollywood

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Gov. Andrew Cuomo looks over to Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney at the State of the County address, held at the Carnegie Library Tuesday night. The two announced a new film hub for DeWitt.
(By Mike Greenlar | mgreenlar@syracuse.com)

SYRACUSE, N.Y - Live theater producers are now asking for the same kind of state tax breaks New York lavishes on the film and television industry.

A group of producers and members of a group called Keep Broadway in New York are in Albany today to push legislators to offer their industry tax breaks, too.

They want the state to set aside $5 million for a tax credit program that would give eligible production companies a fully refundable credit of 30 percent of qualified costs in New York state.

That's the same amount New York offers movie and television studios that film in the New York City area. Films made upstate qualify for a credit worth 40 percent of qualified costs.

Participating theaters would not benefit from the tax credit, a spokesman said. Any tax breaks would go to producers. The host town would benefit from the spending on food and lodging while the production is in town.

The group says Broadway theater generates $11.2 billion of economic activity in New York City and supports 86,000 jobs. The group uses Proctor's Theater in Schenectady as an example of the economic boost touring Broadway shows can bring to Upstate cities.

The tax credit would be for touring Broadway producers to entice them to "tech" their shows in Upstate cities rather than taking them to Rhode Island, Louisiana and other regions, the group said.

"Teching" a show means bring a tour's technical rehearsals - building the sets, lights and stage and integrating the performers with the design aspects.

Sen. Betty Little, R-Queensbury, is expected to support the proposal at a press conference today.